


Treading Water

by JohnlockTheDoctor



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Armbands, Fluff, Johnlock - Freeform, M/M, Swimming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-13
Updated: 2014-08-13
Packaged: 2018-02-13 00:23:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2130048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JohnlockTheDoctor/pseuds/JohnlockTheDoctor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John and Sherlock go swimming.. except Sherlock can't remember how to swim.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Treading Water

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt from an anon on Tumblr:  
> [can you do a fic where Sherlock can't swim and John teaches him. armbands maybe?]

"Sherlock? Do you want to go swimming?". I frowned and was about to say no, but then had a thought. I’d get to see John in just a pair of swimming shorts. I’d get to see his bare chest and that truly _fascinating_ scar of his. "Why?", I said cautiously. John just shrugged, "I haven't swam since I came back from Afghanistan, I miss it". I nodded slowly, "can’t you go on your own?". He sighed, "yes Sherlock, but I’d like it if I had some company". I rolled my eyes, "fine. Let me go get some things". 

I walked into my room and grabbed a clean towel. I pulled open my bottom drawer and found the old pair of red swimming trunks in the back of them. I’d only ever worn them once. I stared at the armbands tucked into the back corner before slamming the drawer shut. I was _not_ going to use them. I walked back out and John was standing there with a small bag. I stuffed my things inside and he smiled, throwing the strap over his shoulder. We walked down the stairs and I flagged a taxi once we were outside. This wasn’t something I did, _ever._ I hadn’t been swimming in a very long time. Mycroft had tried to teach me as a kid, but that was the only time I’d ever been swimming. I could probably do it but, I will have most likely deleted it. It can’t be that hard though. I’d be okay.

We walked into the leisure centre and up to the changing rooms. There was just two public rooms where everyone was to get changed. The males in one room, the females in the other. Luckily there was no one else in the men’s. I stripped off quickly and tugged on my trunks as soon as John took them out the bag, trying to get it over and done with as quickly as possible. I wasn’t one to get embarrassed but, nudity made me feel exposed and uncomfortable. I didn’t really like it. “You can get in if you want, I’ll catch you up”, he said, pulling off his jumper. I shook my head, “I’ll wait. It’s fine”. I watched him pull off his clothes down to his boxers before he turned around and pulled them off, quickly pulling on his swimming trunks too. I got a quick view of his arse. It was.. _nice._

He was wearing shorts. My trunks were long, reaching half way down my thigh, whereas John’s only just covered his bum. They were tight too and were clinging in all the right places. They suited him. I stared at the scar on his chest and he coughed nervously, “Sherlock.. you’re.. _staring”._ I laughed softly, “sorry”. John grinned, throwing our clothes in a locker, “shall we get in then?”. 

It seemed to be mostly families. It was fairly busy. “Shall we go to the quieter bit?”, John said, walking off before I even had a chance to answer. There were two pools in the one huge room. We walked over to the quiet one. It was smaller, but not by much. It was just deeper by, a _lot_ more. There was no one else in it. John put our towels down at the edge of the pool and dived in. His hands went under first and he was perfectly straight. His toes were pointed and he’d tucked his bum in. He resurfaced and I raised my eyebrows, “are you okay?”. He laughed, “I’m fine Sherlock, come in”. I stood at the edge of the pool with my toes over the edge. He was grinning, managing to keep himself afloat whilst watching me. This was it. I jumped in and went straight under, making myself start to panic. I felt two hands pull me up under my armpits and I clinged to them tightly, not letting go, gasping for air. John was panting, trying to stay afloat with me sitting on his hip, my legs wrapped around his waist and my arms wrapped around his neck. “It’s not that I’m scared”, I managed to say in between breaths, “It’s just.. I can’t remember, how to swim”. John smiled and ran a hand up and down my back, trying to calm me down. It sort of worked. “It’s alright Sherlock”. I shook my head, “it’s embarrassing”, I mumbled. John laughed softly, ruffling my hair with his hand. I scowled, flattening it back down, but quickly grabbed back onto John as I felt myself falling backwards. John laughed again, “it’s okay! I’ve got you. You’re okay, I won’t let anything happen to you”. I felt my cheeks burn with embarrassment. I felt pathetic. “Sherlock?”, John said softly, cupping my cheek in his right hand. I looked away from him, trying to avoid eye contact. “I want to teach you. Can I? Can I teach you how to swim?”. 

I said I’d just sit on the edge but he wouldn't let me. He _insisted._ He showed me how to stay afloat first. _'Treading water'._ It was tiring but it let me stay afloat without having to cling onto John. He then taught me how to swim using the method, _'front crawl'._ I don’t really see how it is a crawl but John insisted that was what it was named. He held me up, his hands pressed to my chest as I first tried to swim a length. It felt.. _good._ I let him hold me up for the next two lengths before I tried it myself. “That’s it Sherlock! _Kick!_ Kick more, you’ll sink!”. I gasped for air and kicked harder, grabbing onto the edge as soon as it was in reach. John was grinning, “that was amazing!”. I rolled my eyes, “do not patronise me John”. He shook his head, “no, _really._ You learnt that really quickly. I’m, impressed”. I raised my eyebrows and smiled, “thank you”. He swam up next to me, “I’ll race you”. I smirked, “you have an advantage”. He laughed, “fine, you get three seconds head start”. I frowned and considered the options. I’d only do this if I could win. I didn’t like losing. It seemed possible, but only with the head start. “Okay”, I said before pushing myself off the wall, kicking and swinging my arms as fast as I could to the other side. “1.. 2.. _3!”,_ I heard John shout before I heard him coming up behind me. I was just over half way. I kicked faster, gasping for air when I could. John was now level with me and was grinning maniacally. I was trying not to look at him. He took off in front of me and I grabbed his right ankle, pulling him back. He laughed loudly and tried to wriggle free. He turned around and grabbed hold of me, pulling us both under. I panicked slightly at first but he grabbed my hand. He was there. I opened my eyes and John was grinning at me. I grinned back and then he laughed, huge bubbles coming out of his mouth. He pulled us up and we were both laughing, splashing each other purposely. I was getting tired out and trying to stay afloat was a struggle. “Come here”, John said fondly and I grabbed hold of his shoulders, sitting on his hip like I was before. It made me feel a bit like a child but it helped me get my breath back. I looked even more abnormally tall compared to John like this. It must have looked ridiculous to anyone watching. “I’m proud of you”, John said softly and pressed a kiss to my chest, the only place he could reach. I froze not knowing what to do. He just kissed me. John _'I'm not gay'_ Watson, just kissed my chest. “Sherlock?”, he said quietly. He sounded nervous. Regretful. _No._ I kissed his forehead, “thank you”. He grinned and swam over to the steps letting me climb off his hip and get out of the pool before he did. “Home?”. I smiled and nodded, “home”.


End file.
